Jana, Inc. leading the bottled water industry to a more carbon-neutral future

ANN ARBOR, Mich., USA and ZAGREB, Croatia (April 17, 2013) – Leading South Eastern Europe bottled water producer Jana, Inc. (dba Jamnica d.d.) has earned CarbonFree® certification from Carbonfund.org and NSF Sustainability, a division of global public health organization NSF International. CarbonFree® product certification is a credible, transparent way for Jana to provide carbon-neutral bottled water products to its customers in North America.

Carbon footprints, water quality and safety are important topics to consumers. An independent survey conducted on behalf of NSF International revealed that 55 percent of safety-minded consumers* are concerned about their carbon footprint, and 61 percent are concerned about the quality and safety of bottled water products.

Jamnica, as part of Agrokor Company, is the largest manufacturer of natural mineral water and non-alcoholic beverages in Croatia with more than 180 years of tradition. To address the environmental impacts of its products, Jana underwent a detailed life cycle assessment to measure the carbon emissions produced from its bottled water products in North America. Jana then offset its carbon emissions through investment in third-party validated renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry carbon offset projects provided by Carbonfund.org, a leading nonprofit and developer of the CarbonFree® Product Certification program, the first carbon neutral product label in North America.

In addition to CarbonFree® certification, Jana has held NSF bottled water certification since 2008. This program requires annual product testing and facility audits to ensure ongoing compliance with the strict quality and safety standards of the program.

“The NSF bottled water and CarbonFree® certification labels on Jana’s bottled water products communicate that Jana is committed to both the health and safety of its customers as well as reducing its environmental impact,” said Tom Bruursema, NSF Sustainability General Manager.

"Jana is the first product in the region certified by the Carbonfund.org Foundation, Inc. Thus, we are very proud to be environmentally friendly in keeping with our responsibilities as the biggest producer of water in Croatia," said Ivana Petricevic, Jamnica Quality Director.

“With more companies recognizing the importance and value of offering carbon-neutral products, carbon content labeling is a vital tool for companies to market their commitment to sustainability,” said Eric Carlson, President of Carbonfund.org. “Our CarbonFree®label is widely recognized by companies throughout North America as a preferred mark that assures a comprehensive process was used to achieve carbon neutrality.”

How the CarbonFree® Product Certification Program WorksThe CarbonFree® Product Certification program uses life cycle assessments (LCAs) to determine the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over a product’s entire life cycle. GHG emissions (expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents) that cannot be reduced or eliminated from the products’ life cycle are offset or ‘neutralized’ with third-party validated renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry carbon offset projects.

A carbon offset is a verifiable reduction in carbon emissions somewhere in the world other than where the emission is generated. These external reductions offer clean energy transformation (e.g. wind, solar), sequestration (e.g. forestry) and clean technology (e.g. energy efficiency). The projects also offer a range of benefits including conservation, clean water, job creation and innovation. Credits are generated when a project is verified and registered – allowing companies to purchase these credits and offset the emissions produced in the manufacturing and use of their products. These credits are then permanently ‘retired’ on behalf of the product/company.

CarbonFree® certified products earn the use of the CarbonFree® mark along with being listed in the Carbonfund.org online product certification database. The CarbonFree® mark can be found on a variety of products today, including food, beverage, electronics and apparel.

About Jamnica: Jamnica, as part of Agrokor Company, is the largest manufacturer of natural mineral water and non-alcoholic beverages in Croatia with more than 180 years of tradition. Due to investments in modernization and new technologies, Jamnica has grown to be one of the most advanced European mineral water bottling plants with annual sales of more than 500 million liters.

Jamnica’s product portfolio is divided into two main groups: mineral water and soft drinks. Jamnica has three production plants in Croatia: one for natural mineral water in Jamnicka Kiselica, another for natural mineral water and non-alcoholic beverages in St. Jana and a third for fruit juices in Jastrebarsko. Jamnica also owns Sarajevski Kiseljak, the largest bottling plant for natural mineral water and non-alcoholic beverages in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the Fonyódi mineral water bottling plant in Hungary.

Jamnica is certified according to quality, environmental and food safety standards (ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001:2004 and HACCP in relation to Codex Alimentarius). Jana is Croatia's most awarded and world renowned bottled water, receiving several international awards and certificates. Jana’s natural mineral water, which is listed in the Directory of Sanitarily Approved Food Establishments for Armed Forces Procurement, has received NSF International bottled water certification to U.S. FDA standards and has a kosher certificate.

About Carbonfund.org Foundation: Carbonfund.org is a leading nonprofit climate solutions organization, making it easy and affordable for individuals, businesses and organizations to reduce their climate impact and hasten our transition to a low-carbon economy. Carbonfund.org supports innovative renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry projects globally that reduce carbon emissions and help people. Carbonfund.org has worked with over 2,000 corporate and nonprofit partners. More at www.carbonfund.org.

About NSF International: NSF International is a global independent organization that writes standards, and tests and certifies products for the construction, food, water and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. NSF International has been collaborating with the World Health Organization since 1997 in water quality and safety, food safety and indoor environments.

NSF Sustainability draws upon this expertise in standards development, product assurance and certification, advisory services and quality management systems to help companies green their products, operations, systems and supply chains. Product assessments include testing and certification for more sustainable consumer and commercial products. Through its National Center for Sustainability Standards, NSF also develops sustainability standards for products such as carpet, flooring and other commercial building materials.

*Safety-minded consumers are defined as U.S. consumers between the ages of 25-54 that qualify on at least three of the four following criteria: 1) drink bottled or filtered water, 2) take dietary supplements, 3) read product labels, 4) seek information on product safety or certification.

CarbonFree Certification from NSF International and Carbonfund.org demonstrates product is environmentally friendly and carbon neutral

ANN ARBOR, Mich. & LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. (April 16, 2013) - Motorola Mobility LLC has added a CarbonFree® certified product to its list of mobile devices and accessories that are sold to customers as carbon neutral products. Previous products include the Motorola MOTO W233 Renew, EcoMoto car charger, Motorola CITRUS and the P793 and P893 universal portable power products, all of which demonstrate Motorola Mobility's efforts to identify ways to reduce the carbon impact of its business. The latest addition the series is the Motorola P4000 – a universal dual-charging portable power pack.

With the CarbonFree Product Certification Program, Motorola has mitigated the energy spent to manufacture, distribute and use the product. This label, jointly offered by NSF International’s Sustainability Division and Carbonfund.org, ensures that customers are using a product that has been carbon offset through high standard, third-party verified carbon reduction projects. The label is a meaningful, transparent way for consumers to recognize environmentally friendly, carbon neutral products.

“Earning CarbonFree certification from NSF International underscores Motorola’s commitment to the environment and helps Motorola address an increasingly important consumer concern. During a recent consumer survey conducted on behalf of NSF International, more than 50 percent of those surveyed expressed concerns about their own personal carbon footprint,” said Tom Bruursema, General Manager of NSF Sustainability.

Other products made by Motorola that are CarbonFree certified include the Motorola MOTO W233 Renew, EcoMoto car charger and the Motorola CITRUS.

Motorola P793, P893 and P4000 universal portable chargers are compatible with all USB charging mobile devices including iPhone, Blackberry, Samsung, LG, Nokia, and others. In addition, the devices also boast the ability to charge two devices at once, providing up to five extra hours of talk time for your mobile phone. The Motorola P4000 is available through multiple retail outlets.

About Carbonfund.org Foundation: Carbonfund.org is a leading nonprofit climate solutions organization, making it easy and affordable for individuals, businesses and organizations to reduce their climate impact and hasten our transition to a low-carbon economy. Carbonfund.org supports innovative renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry projects globally that reduce carbon emissions and help people. Carbonfund.org has worked with over 2,000 corporate and nonprofit partners. More at www.carbonfund.org.

About NSF International: NSF International is a global, independent organization that writes standards, and tests and certifies products for the food, water and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment. NSF Sustainability draws upon this expertise in standards development, product assurance and certification, advisory services and quality management systems to help companies green their products, operations, systems and supply chains. Product assessments include testing and certification for sustainable products such as green chemicals and building products. Through its National Center for Sustainability Standards, NSF also develops sustainability standards for products such as carpet, flooring, and other commercial building materials. Additional NSF services include Education and Training, safety audits for the food and water industries, organic certification provided by QAI (Quality Assurance International) and management systems registrations delivered through NSF International Strategic Registrations (NSF-ISR). NSF-ISR services include ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems registration, Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Chain of Custody (COC) certifications.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., USA and TROIS-RIVIÈRES, Quebec, Canada (February 25, 2013) – Bio-Lub Canada Inc., developer of antifriction treatments and solutions for the ecological and biodegradable degreasing industry, has earned the first CarbonFree® certification in the industry for its bio-hydraulic fluid from Carbonfund.org and NSF Sustainability, a division of global independent public health organization NSF International. As a result, industries that utilize hydraulic processes (automobile, construction machinery, excavation, farming, forestry and others) now have access to an environmentally-friendly, carbon-neutral ISO 46 hydraulic fluid.

Hydraulic systems play an important role in our daily lives. Elevators, forklifts, commercial lawnmowers, garbage trucks, farming equipment, aircraft flight control systems and construction equipment such as loaders or bulldozers all use as much as 100 liters (26.4 gallons) of hydraulic fluid. Some loss to the environment is inevitable. With Bio-Lub biobased hydraulic fluid there will be little, if any, environmental impact. By earning CarbonFree® certification for its BLC 710 bio-hydraulic fluid (in 20-, 205- and 1000-liter packaging), Bio-Lub is helping environmentally conscious organizations reduce their carbon footprint and impact on the environment. The bio-hydraulic fluids are made from vegetable oils derived from a renewable source and are also USDA certified as 96 percent biobased under the BioPreferred® program.

To address its products’ environmental impacts, Bio-Lub Canada underwent a detailed life cycle assessment to measure the carbon emissions produced from its bio-hydraulic fluid products sold worldwide. To achieve carbon neutrality for the products, Bio-Lub offset the per-unit carbon footprint through investment in third-party validated renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry carbon offset projects. These carbon offset projects are supported through the Carbonfund.org Foundation, a leading nonprofit and developer of the CarbonFree® Product Certification program, the first carbon neutral product label in North America.

“Using environmentally friendly ISO 46 bio-hydraulic fluids such as Bio-Lub’s is particularly important for sensitive environmental applications such as farming and marine dredging. By earning CarbonFree® certification, Bio-Lub is taking its commitment to the environment a step further through offsetting the greenhouse gasses made when producing and distributing the products,” said Tom Bruursema, NSF Sustainability General Manager.

“We at Bio-Lub are excited that our BLC-700 series is the first eco-friendly hydraulic fluid in our industry to be certified worldwide as CarbonFree® by NSF International and Carbonfund.org,” said Michel Cordeau, CEO of Bio-Lub Canada Inc. “Bio-Lub products are designed for superior performance and low environmental impact and Carbonfree® certification is just one more way to validate our commitment to environmentally preferred products.”

How the CarbonFree® Product Certification Program WorksThe CarbonFree® Product Certification program uses life cycle assessments (LCAs) to determine the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over a product’s entire life cycle. GHG emissions (expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents) that cannot be reduced or eliminated from the product’s life cycle are offset or ‘neutralized’ with third-party validated renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry carbon offset projects.

A carbon offset is a verifiable reduction in carbon emissions somewhere in the world other than where the emission is generated. These external reductions offer clean energy transformation (e.g. wind, solar), sequestration (e.g. forestry) and clean technology (e.g. energy efficiency). The projects also offer a range of benefits including conservation, clean water, job creation and innovation. Credits are generated when a project is verified and registered – allowing companies to purchase these credits and offset the emissions produced in the manufacturing and use of their products. These credits are then permanently ‘retired’ on behalf of the product/company.

CarbonFree® certified products earn the use of the CarbonFree® mark along with being listed in the Carbonfund.org online product certification database. The CarbonFree® mark can be found on a variety of products today, including foods, beverages, electronics and apparel.

AboutCarbonfund.org Foundation: Carbonfund.org is a leading nonprofit climate solutions organization, making it easy and affordable for individuals, businesses and organizations to reduce their climate impact and hasten our transition to a low-carbon economy. Carbonfund.org supports innovative renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry projects globally that reduce carbon emissions and help people. Carbonfund.org has worked with over 2,000 corporate and nonprofit partners. More at www.carbonfund.org.

About NSF International: NSF International is a global independent organization that writes standards, and tests and certifies products for the construction, food, water and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide.

NSF Sustainability draws upon this expertise in standards development, product assurance and certification, advisory services and quality management systems to help companies green their products, operations, systems and supply chains. Product assessments include testing and certification for more sustainable consumer and commercial products. NSF is also an approved testing laboratory (under ASTM D6866) for conducting biobased testing. Through its National Center for Sustainability Standards, NSF also develops sustainability standards for products such as carpet, flooring and other commercial building materials.

Bethesda, MD and Dalton, GA (December 3, 2012) – Tandus Flooring, a leading manufacturer of commercial floorcoverings, headquartered in Dalton, GA, has renewed its commitment to offer customers the option to offset the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions of its hybrid resilient and modular product lines. This program, offered jointly by Carbonfund.org Foundation and NSF International ensures Tandus Flooring has taken a very measured approach to make certain its CarbonFree® Certified product offerings are conducted responsibly through a third-party certification process, producing meaningful results in decreasing the overall level of its GHG emissions.

Tandus Flooring renewed its CarbonFree® product certification, by conducting extensive product Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) to determine its products’ per unit carbon footprint. Now in its fourth year, Tandus Flooring’s Carbonfree Flooring program allows customers the option to purchase their products as carbon neutral.

Working in conjunction with Carbonfund.org and NSF International, third party validated carbon offset credits are purchased to neutralize the greenhouse gases associated with the product’s life cycle. Carbon offset credits purchased in the program are ‘retired‘ so that the carbon is essentially eliminated from use. Through the program, Tandus Flooring has provided CarbonFree products to customers, such as, Google, Bank of America, National Life Group, NV Energy, Stanford University, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of Vermont.

“Many companies are looking for ways to reduce the climate impact of their products and operations,” said Lynn Preston, Technical Environmental Manager, Tandus Flooring. “Tandus Flooring’s Carbonfree Flooring program demonstrates our commitment to take action against global warming and provides customers with a convenient, credible means to decrease the environmental impact of their purchase.”

Carbonfund.org President Eric Carlson commented, “Providing products that are certified CarbonFree® by Carbonfund.org reflects Tandus Flooring’s leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in manufacturing. We are proud to be partners with Tandus Flooring and applaud their environmental leadership.”

The CarbonFree® certification label lets companies demonstrate that their products have been carbon offset as well as helps consumers identify carbon neutral products. “The CarbonFree label on Tandus Flooring’s products exemplifies the company’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of their products,” said Tom Bruursema, General Manager of NSF Sustainability.

For nearly half a century, Tandus Flooring has been a pioneer in the research and development of sustainable flooring processes and products while continually advancing business practices to meet the critical environmental challenges facing our industry. Tandus Flooring has employed a multi-faceted approach to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations and products including the reduction of energy, water and solid waste, the increased use of recycled material and renewable energy, along with a continued emphasis on closed loop recycling and post consumer reclamation of its products.

Tandus Flooring (www.tandus.com) creates innovative floorcovering solutions through our unique product line of hybrid resilient, modular, broadloom and woven products that work in tandem to enhance spaces for learning, working, healing and living. Through inspired design and leading-edge technology, Tandus Flooring offers its customers a single-source for innovative product design and technology, comprehensive services, and environmental leadership. For more than 40 years,Tandus Flooring has been examining all the ways to be a better corporate citizen and environmental steward — and then taking actions that lead to demonstrable, meaningful, quantifiable results.

About Carbonfund.org Foundation:

Carbonfund.org is a leading nonprofit climate solutions organization, making it easy and affordable for individuals, businesses and organizations to reduce their climate impact and hasten our transition to a low-carbon economy. Carbonfund.org supports innovative renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry projects globally that reduce carbon emissions and help people. Carbonfund.org has worked with over 2,000 corporate and nonprofit partners. More at www.carbonfund.org.

About NSF International:

NSF International is an independent organization that writes standards, tests and certifies products for the construction, food, water and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment.

NSF Sustainability draws upon this expertise in standards development, product assurance and certification, advisory services and quality management systems to help companies green their products, services, operations, systems and supply chains. Through its National Center for Sustainability Standards, NSF also develops sustainability assessment standards for products, services and service providers.

ANN ARBOR, Mich., BETHESDA, Md. & BARRIE, Ontario, Canada (September 18, 2012) - Carbonfund.org Foundation and NSF International are pleased to announce the renewal of LEI Electronics’ Eco Alkalines™ batteries into the CarbonFree® Product Certification Program. In addition to completing a carbon footprint, the batteries continue to meet and exceed some of the most important international standards such as PAS 2050 (carbon label standard) and ISO 14044 (life cycle assessment standard).

LEI’s Eco Alkalines™ batteries are entering their third year under the CarbonFree® Product Certification Program offered through NSF International’s Sustainability Division. CarbonFree® certified products are available in multiple countries and LEI reports increasing sales as the product continues to gain acceptance from consumers seeking a cleaner way to meet their battery needs. For example, retailers such as Best Buy, Costco, Grainger, Walmart, Amazon, The Home Depot and many others are recognizing the value of these batteries and offering them to their eco-conscious customers. Commercial customers also report using LEI’s Eco Alkalines™ batteries to assist in meeting their green goals.

LEI Electronics Eco Alkalines™ batteries may also contribute to earning LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credits. LEED was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to provide building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operation and maintenance solutions. LEED is based on a credit system and points are allocated based on the potential environmental impacts and human benefits of each credit. Under the current LEED credit system, Eco Alkalines™ batteries may contribute to earning one prerequisite and one point under the LEED category of Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance (EBOM) rating system.

Lionel Lalonde, Partner and Vice President of Sales at Eco Alkalines™, credits their steadily increasing sales to the growing consumer demand for sustainable products and the competitive market edge and product confidence associated with the CarbonFree® Product Certification Program. "Certification sets us apart from our competitors," says Lalonde. "We are currently the world's only disposable alkaline battery with this certification. We have found that certification has helped to increase our market share and create customer and brand loyalty among consumers who are seeking to purchase and use eco-friendly products."

CarbonFree® certification also lends credibility to Eco Alkalines™, a relatively newer brand, in a marketplace of well-known battery products. "Although many products claim to be ‘green’ or ‘eco-friendly,’ these terms are often used loosely or without a clear description of what that means. We wanted third-party verification from two trusted and recognizable organizations – Carbonfund.org and NSF International - so that consumers would understand and have faith in our green claims," added Lalonde.

Eric Carlson, President of Carbonfund.org Foundation, agrees, “Eco Alkalines™ batteries are an important solution to climate change, providing consumers a simple and affordable way to meet their daily needs while limiting their impact on our environment and supporting innovative carbon-reducing projects globally. Eco Alkalines™ is continuing its commitment to environmental protection and proof positive that what is good for the planet is also good business.”

“By maintaining its CarbonFree® certification through NSF International, LEI’s Eco Alkalines™ batteries continue to lead the disposable battery industry to a more sustainable future and provide businesses and consumers with a certified carbon neutral battery that will help them achieve their green building and sustainability goals,” said Tom Bruursema, General Manager of NSF Sustainability.

Manufactured with 0 percent mercury, lead, and cadmium, Eco Alkalines™ batteries set the standard for responsible disposable alkaline batteries. Eco Alkalines™ brand batteries have ZERO of these heavy metals while all other batteries carry at least one or more of these toxic elements. Eco Alkalines™ batteries use recycled materials where possible and contain 98 percent plus recyclable content. While they are considered landfill safe, recycling is still advised where available. Eco Alkalines™ also have a patented leak resistant seal, ensuring they will not leak into devices.

Visit Eco Alkalines™ at the annual Greenbuild Conference November 14-15 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, Calif. Or learn more by visiting: www.leiproducts.com/eco-alkalines.

About LEI: LEI was established as Logitech Electronics Inc. in 1988. LEI quickly grew to a flourishing import, wholesale, and distribution business with offices in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Shenzhen to support the growing North American business. In addition to the domestic business LEI provided private label products for KOSS Corporation, Sanyo Canada and in excess of 500 private label products for the former RadioShack Canada. Today LEI is an ISO 9001:2008 registered company. They specialize in brand development, global sourcing, web fulfillment, and distribution with an emphasis on eco-friendly products.

AboutCarbonfund.org Foundation: Carbonfund.org is a leading nonprofit climate solutions organization, making it easy and affordable for individuals, businesses and organizations to reduce their climate impact and hasten our transition to a low-carbon economy. Carbonfund.org supports innovative renewable energy, energy efficiency and forestry projects globally that reduce carbon emissions and help people. Carbonfund.org has worked with over 2,000 corporate and nonprofit partners. More at www.carbonfund.org.

About NSF International: NSF International is an independent organization that writes standards, tests and certifies products for the construction, food, water and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. NSF is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Food and Water Safety and Indoor Environment.

NSF Sustainability draws upon this expertise in standards development, product assurance and certification, advisory services and quality management systems to help companies green their products, operations, systems and supply chains. Product assessments include testing and certification for sustainable products such as green chemicals and building products. Through its National Center for Sustainability Standards, NSF also develops sustainability standards for products such as carpet, flooring, and other commercial building materials.

CarbonFree® Product Certification is a meaningful, transparent way for you to provide environmentally-friendly, carbon neutral products to your customers. By determining a product’s carbon footprint, reducing it where possible and offsetting remaining emissions through our third-party validated carbon reduction projects, you can:

Differentiate your brand and product

Increase sales

Improve customer loyalty

Strengthen corporate social responsibility & environmental goals

See Our Certified Products

Leading companies are experiencing the benefits of their CarbonFree® Product Certification. Click here to view other CarbonFree Certified Products.

“The CarbonFree Product Certification has had a positive impact on sales and, more importantly in my mind, since the certification we have seen an increase in overall customer retention and satisfaction.”—Kelsey Marshall, Co-founder, Grounds for Change

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carbonfund.org's quality assurance protocol

At Carbonfund.org, we are committed to supporting and providing the highest quality carbon reduction projects. For this purpose, we developed the Carbonfund.org Quality Assurance Protocol which ensures that every project meets or exceeds international certification standards and our additional set of criteria before it qualifies to be a part of our project portfolio.

Essential CriteriaAll carbon offset projects are held to a uniform set of benchmarks to maintain a consistently high level of quality. Our standards, as well as those of leading certification bodies, address these essential criteria for carbon reduction projects:

Real: The quantified greenhouse gas or carbon reductions must represent actual emission reductions. These reductions are based on approved methodologies or protocols which require rigorous monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of the project’s activities.

Additional: Additionality requires the carbon emission reductions to be above and beyond business as usual. This means reductions are additional if they would not have occurred in the absence of the project. Importantly, additionality should be determined by an independent third-party, a requirement for internationally accepted standards. Additionality should not be self-determined and should not be self-defined, as each internationally accepted standard defines it. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency, and most other standards, define additionality as greenhouse gas reductions that must be surplus to regulation and beyond what would have happened in the absence of the project or in a business-as-usual scenario based on a performance standard methodology.

Permanent: Permanence is commonly referred to as the useful life of a project in reducing carbon emissions. Third-party standards such as the Climate Action Reserve, Verified Carbon Standard, Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards, American Carbon Registry and the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism all address and account for permanence. These and other third-party standards also address permanence for forest-based carbon offset projects such as reforestation and avoided deforestation. A project should be independently certified to a standard to ensure permanence and other criteria for real carbon reductions are met.

Verifiable: The greenhouse gas or carbon reductions must result from projects whose performance can be readily and accurately quantified, monitored and verified by independent, third-party auditors.

Leakage: Leakage is the positive or negative impacts of a project on the surrounding area outside the project’s boundary. Carbonfund.org works with projects with the least likelihood of creating negative impacts.

Carbonfund.org’s Additional Qualifying CriteriaIn addition to projects being certified to leading international standards, our due diligence process goes even further by looking at additional qualifying criteria to assess projects. Our Portfolio includes projects that benefit the local environments in which they take place and contribute to the global effort against climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Our review process evaluates projects based on:

Project Location Climate change is a global concern and we all need to be a part of the solution. By selecting projects across the US, as well as internationally, we are able to facilitate action from different corners of the world.

The geographic location is also an important factor in determining the type of project. For instance, Brazil and Nicaragua have rich tropical rainforests that sequester carbon dioxide, while the US’s Great Plains are ideal for wind projects.

Market TransformationOne of our goals is to make clean-energy affordable and cost less than its dirty counterparts such as coal. Carbonfund.org seeks to work with projects that have the potential to lead to vast market transformation in and around the project's location. This enables our funding to be leveraged and act as a catalyst for our clean energy future.

Co-BenefitsThe additional co-benefits we look for in projects can be categorized as benefits for the environment and social benefits.

Environmental benefits In addition to greenhouse gas mitigation or sequestration, many projects provide a range of additional ecosystem services that enhance biodiversity, preserve natural habitats, control erosion, reduce localized air and water pollution, and more.

Social benefitsThe projects we select not only benefit the environment but also improve the socio-economic conditions by providing clean energy, creating jobs, technological advancement, opportunities conducive to trade and development of the community as a whole.

An Inspiring StoryClimate change touches all of us and Carbonfund.org supports projects which help in a meaningful way. We emphasize projects which tell an inspiring story and to which people can relate - whether it is protecting rainforests, restoring croplands back to native forests, or creating jobs for local communities and indigenous people.